More Topics

Weather Forecast

Bush in Green Bay on Thursday

GREEN BAY - Pres. Bush is coming to Wisconsin for the second fundraiser in as many months Thursday.

In July, the President helped Mark Green raise a few hundred thousand dollars for his gubernatorial campaign. On Thursday, Bush will try to do the same for John Gard, who's running for Congress.

John Gard is running in the 8th Congressional District. It's the seat Mark Green is giving up to challenge the incumbent Governor.

Political pundits say the district in northeastern Wisconsin is one to watch.

Terri Johnson is a UW-Green Bay political scientist. Given that it's an open seat, she says Democrats have a good shot at winning, even though the area historically sends Republicans to Washington.

She says the 8th District was always considered a safe sea for Republicans, but given that Mark Green gave up the seat, there are some good Democrat contenders, and Republican approval ratings are so low, it may not be so safe.

The President is expected to give a speech on the economy Thursday morning.

Later that day he'll appear at a $1,000 a head fundraiser at a private home. Pictures with George W. Bush will cost $5,000 dollars.

John Gard does have a primary opponent who's staging a much lower profile campaign, and Johnson says state Representative Terri McCormick is hoping to attract votes from Republicans who are dissatisfied with the administration. Johnson says from the start, McCormick has

been "sort of put in the closet and ignored by the party."

Johnson says on one hand, it's too bad for her and her supporters, but on the other it says something about the Republican Party and who they think can win the seat.

There are three Democrats running. Registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats in the 8th District. So Johnson says in order for a Democrat to win in November, he or she must draw votes from disenchanted Republicans.